Virginia Tech institute reviews advances in macromolecular materials

April 7, 2006

The Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute (MII) at Virginia Tech is holding its 2006 technical conference and review, “Review of Advances in Research at Emerging Frontiers,” at the Inn at Virginia Tech Monday, April 10 through Wednesday, April 12.

MII is an interdisciplinary institute of more than 50 faculty members from five colleges with the goal of promoting research in macromolecular materials and engineering. A macromolecule is a large molecule that can be designed and synthesized to carry out different functions and interactions, such as new materials and films that can be used in medicine, telecommunications, or fuel cells.

At the conference, noted academic and industrial polymer scientists will present plenary lectures to lead sessions devoted to three major arenas of macromolecular science and engineering -- life sciences, alternative energy technologies, and electronics and optics. Virginia Tech faculty members and students will deliver 26 lectures and 91 posters.

Curtis W. Frank, professor and chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University will lecture on “Soft Materials, Biology, and Clinical Needs” to lead off a series of Virginia Tech presentations focusing on the macromolecular science and engineering at the interface with life sciences.

Elsa Reichmanis, director of polymer and organic materials research at Lucent Bell Laboratories, former Perkins award winner, and former president of the American Chemical Society, will be the plenary lecturer on “Advances in Macromolecular Materials at the Electronics/Optics Interface.”

Dan Brunelle, Senior Fellow with General Electric Global Research, will lecture on “Advances in the Synthesis of Engineering Thermoplastics” to lead off a session on “New Chemistries, Surfaces and Composites."

Representatives from more than 20 major companies have registered for the conference.